Derek Drouin and Faith Sherrill set the bar for the nation at the Indiana Open, posting marks that lead the country this season, and the Big Ten Conference has taken notice.

Jan. 10, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Derek Drouin and Faith Sherrill set the bar for the nation at the Indiana Open, posting marks that lead the country this season, and the Big Ten Conference has taken notice. The conference named Drouin and Sherrill the Big Ten Field Athletes of the Week for the week of January 2-8. Sherrill set a Big Ten record with one of the best throws ever by a collegiate athlete and Drouin narrowly missed tying the Big Ten high jump record. Drouin wins his second weekly conference honor and Sherrill takes her third. This is the second straight season that Drouin and Sherrill have garnered the honors after the first meet of the season.

Indiana track and field director and head coach Ron Helmer said it is exciting to have big time track and field taking place at a season opening meet.

"Derek and Faith both had big time performances this week and are very deserving of these awards," said Helmer. "Any time you are going for or breaking Big Ten records, it makes for a fun meet. I look forward to watching these two embrace and manage the challenge and responsibilities that accompany this level of performance."

Coming into the Indiana Open, Sherrill held the IU record in the shot put at 16.80m. With her first throw, she took the record books to a different level. Her heave of 18.00m (59-0.75) broke the Big Ten record by 2 feet and 6.5 inches, her school record by 3 feet 11.25 inches, the Gladstein Fieldhouse record by 3.5 inches and bettered the NCAA automatic qualifying standard by 3 feet 7.25 inches.

In the young season, Sherrill is the only Div. I thrower to surpass 17 meters, let alone 18. Perhaps putting her throw in perspective, teammate Monique Riddick posted a throw of 15.87m (52-1) for second place, which while nearly seven feet shorter than Sherrill's heave is still an impressive fourth on the Div. I national list. Sherrill's throw is the 10th-best indoor throw all-time by a collegiate, and the eighth-best all-time by an American collegiate.

Drouin cleared 2.27m (7-5.25) in the high jump which ties him for the national lead in the high jump. He bettered the NCAA Automatic Qualifying standard of 2.24m. Drouin finished out with three solid attempts at 2.30m, which is the Big Ten record as well as a qualifying height for the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Drouin also showed some versatility by winning the 60m hurdles on the day as well in a career-best 8.16 seconds, which is the fifth-fastest time in IU history and ranks among the nation's top 35 this season.

The Hoosiers return to action at Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011. For complete coverage of all things IU cross country, stay tuned to IUHoosiers.com.